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Sunday, July 22, 2012

Just Finished: Yesterday's Tomorrow

I'm a big fan of second chances stories so I was happy to review the short story Yesterday's Tomorrow by Ceri Hebert.

Here's the synopsis:

What would you do if life gave you another chance to go back and get it right?

No one needs a mental health day more than forty-four year old Lila Weidner, but when the overworked HR director wakes up in her twenty-three year old body, she's left wondering what is going on. Where is her life as a successful business woman? Where is her equally successful husband? And how is she going to maneuver through the day in order to stay on the same path she followed over twenty years earlier? Lila soon rediscovers old dreams and old friendships that she left behind and wonders if this is her chance for another shot at a truly fulfilling life. Does she dare to step off her original path and allow yesterday to become her new tomorrow?

We all wonder "what if?" at some point in our lives. It could be something simple like, "What if I hadn't gone to that concert and stayed home instead?" or something complex such as, "What if I had married my high school sweetheart?" I like when stories really examine these questions, whether the character gets a literal do-over or just the chance to do something they've always wanted to try. In the case of Yesterday's Tomorrow, it was the former. Lila goes to bed as a 44 year old and wakes up in her 23 year old body. Realizing she has the chance to create the happy ending she fears she's lacking, she dives into this second chance and makes the most out of it.

I loved seeing what Lila did with her second chance. She had to make a tough decision - stick with what's familiar or use this opportunity to really go after her heart's desire? I wasn't sure at first how it was going to turn out but I'm very happy with the conclusion.

I really liked this short story (emphasis on short - it was only about 40 pages long) and think many others would as well. Romance plays a part in Yesterday's Tomorrow but it's more about Lila's journey and what she realizes when she gets her do-over. It was a great read for sitting in the sun in the backyard on a Saturday afternoon! :)